West Bank climate overview

Lying at the very heart of the Middle East, these so-called 'occupied territories' are part of the Palestinian-Israeli land dispute.

The West Bank is a portion of land bordering Israel to the west, and Jordan and the Dead Sea to the east. The region has immense biblical importance, incorporating towns like Bethlehem and Jericho. Between them, they contain ancient ruins, historical monasteries and tombs.

A mountain range runs down the middle of the West Bank becoming broader and more elevated in the south, while petering-out to no more than rolling hills in the north. Summers along these mountains are dry, sunny, and warm but become wet and cool during the winter with occasional snow cover.

To the east, the mountains slope down to the Dead Sea. This highly saline body of water is well below sea level; in fact it is the lowest point on Earth. It is also a popular place for tourists to bathe in the medicinal waters and cover themselves in nutrient-rich mud.

The West Bank has hot dry summers with plenty of sunshine and hardly any rain; it can however be uncomfortably hot and humid at times. In winter temperatures are more comfortable with a moderate amount of rainfall between November and March.